The Maze
Writer: Nelson DeMille
Publisher: Jonathan Ball
When the odds are stacked against you, the best (and worst) man to have in your corner is John Corey.
The former NYPD cop has everyone gunning for him, from the Russian Mafia to terrorist organisations and possibly even former colleagues at the FBI, CIA and Anti-Terrorism Task Force and Diplomatic Surveillance Group.
Granted, he gets the job done in his own way, but there’s always a big fallout, in (bad guy) bodies, relationships, ex-wives and girlfriends and less gung-ho officials who have been burnt.
Corey, having survived a dramatic near-fatal shooting, is unemployed and convalescing, hanging out in his uncle’s big Long Island holiday home, the quieter northern part, away from the rich Hampton south.
As he muses, the problem with doing nothing is you don’t know when to stop. But he has his eye on a sail boat out on the bay that doesn’t seem to be doing any sailing. It’s just sitting there.
Considering his predicament, he sips his beer, puts his Glock on his lap and ponders their angle of attack and how he will outmanoeuvre the assassins.
Then he is distracted by a lovely woman detective who arrives at his door. He and Detective Sergeant Beth Penrose have a complicated history that didn’t end well.
Long and short: she and a secret “group” want help. Young women’s bodies have been turning up in the wild natural surrounding areas and the cops seem to be up to their eyeballs in corruption, blackmail and murder.
DeMille’s story was inspired by a true and unsolved case known as the Gilgo Beach murders in which at least 10 bodies were found, believed to be the work of a Long Island serial killer.
With that as its foundation, DeMille centres his story on a private local security company which has dirt on everyone, the district attorney, the local police chiefs and the rich and secluded. The “group” wants Corey to take a job as a private investigator for the company and gather up evidence to find out who is doing the killing and who else is involved in covering it up.
Penrose and Co have a plan and knowing how Corey goes maverick, she insists that he does it her way. Which, of course, needing some action and while he’s doing nothing anyway except watch for secret killers, he agrees to do.
But anyone who knows Corey knows that’s not going to happen.
With his usual wit and savvy, Corey does what he does best: causes chaos and mayhem to expose a murderous bunch of people.
A fun adventure, perfect for a summer holiday read.
The Independent on Saturday